New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS


THE LIFE OF BEXJAMIN r. WADE; by A. o. W Kip
DIE. lGno. PIP $40. Cleveland; william W. WI"
Jams
Mr.. Riddle has collected in small volume
series Of napers originally written for "lhe Maya
zinc az Western History" lie had the advantages
nj intimacy with the DISTINGUISHED subject oil his
hook. a close acquaintance with the scenes OF MS
early life and an active participation IN the ponf
raj contests which made Mr. ACES celeoriy'
The review of the Ohio Senator's washington Cd
reer does not pretend to be more than sKelch
but tie story OF his pioneer life III Ash'apuia
fo,ptv and his rise TO eminence at the bar Is tod
with ample particularly Both parts OF 'he worN
are fun of interest the earlier chapters nave
moreover, q peculiar freshness ana pieseliC ~
maIiSable picture of stale OF society wnion "
ways fascinates the historical reader. Mr. nnu'i
was not only in perfect sympathy with Senator
wade bu, he had q keen appreciation OF hls ch'r
acter iudging him more wisely than even sohie u
Sts xva,nest admirers although he yielded 10 oii'
nj them in loyal regard. The figure "iheh III
shows us is a finer one than the lraoiS'on"i 49,,
Wade Men of strong character anu p0@,'i
..nr,ors almost always suffer from the limitations
NJ their unwise disciples, and are reineihoeIeu i
Nv their real qualities than Dy couhNlio,uo "
them Even as rising Ohio lawyer MI ""uo
mas downright, aggressive, blunt and INDEPENDENT
nepts adopted his manner-it often set badly Oh
go They combed their hair back over their
roads Where no was merely frank and abrupt
tbev became coarse and rough; where he lnduleeo
IN the stronger English, they became proiane' Id
a few wears the bar of Northern ONO was INV neu
by these rude swearing carfcatures OF tie e.rohs'
magnetic man." An attempt IKE thao Vi MI.
Riddle to distinguish the important TRAITS OF heafl
and intellect from the accidents OF manner ana
temper ia a real service to history. MT klddle'
however, tells some amusing and characteri'i0
anecdotes When Mr.. Wade was clrcuN Judge III
Ohio one of his decisions was reversed by Ciie gu
preme Court of the State and the case came oaoh
r. him on mandate. He disregardcd the mandate
and followed his first decision. "But. your honor"
exclaimed the beaten counsel, "the Supreme Court
reversed your former Judgment Yes so nave
heard" was the reply IL will give them chance
10 get right" The decision was again reviewed,
This time with Judge Wades written opinion, and
the court decided that he was right. A bill oil
costs had been before him for three terms and had
been discussed at inordinate length As he was
about closing the third term the attorney In the
ease reminded him that the matter had not peeh
aisposed Of "What is the amount in dispute?
asked Judge Wade. Nine dollars and - cents
IN paw the id thing myself" said he, throw
ing ten-dollar bill to the clerk. Enter The
costs satisfied" During the impeachment trial
there was delay in opening the proceedings one
morning because the Chief Justices black robe OF
nfce had been mislaid. The pages, the few visi-
tors present in the robing room and Mr.. Chase
himself Joined in the search. The case was
prave. The court could not go on. At the laSl
moment Wade who had grimly observed the scene,
saw something black under some other thing, ana
lunping it with his cane fshed out the delinquent
black samite which he irreverently held OUT at
the canes end with, Here, Chase here is your
ID old gown " 1t is said that the Cnei JUS
lice was more digniied than usual all that day
While the hectoling slave barons ruled at wash
fngton Wade became known as Northern man
who was ready to fight If quarrel was lorceo
upon him, and he was treated accordingly IL noV
with politeness at any rate with caution Al one
time it was generally expected that 1oomos would
send him a challenge and he had determined TO
nccept it and to choose rifles at thirty PAGES. lie
was dead shot. But the challenge was not sent
after the larse of day or two Toombs laid his
hand on Wades shoulder in the Senate and SAID
l"Wade, what is the use of two men making ID
FOOLS of themselves ?" "None at ALL" was The
good-humored reply, "but it is the misfortune oil
some men that they can't help it," Mr.. klddle
prints for the first time remarkable memorandum
drawn up in May, 1874, by MessIs. Wade, Simon
Cameron and T. Chandler, in reference 10 the
i"gross personal abuse to which Northern sena |
tors and Representatives were subjected IN Con
gress during the two or three years before the
war and the measures to which tlfese three Sena-
tors determined to resort in consequence Only
three comics of this memorandum were made, each
signer filing one among his private papers for the
Information of postcrity. The significant para
graphs are the following:
Mr. William II. Seward was the especial object
Of these insults, and, he being the admitted leader
of the Republicans in the Senate all men were IN
suited through him. Whether from philosophical
serenity of temper or from positive lack OF phys
cal courage he took these premeditated insults
with a calmness which set many or his followers
frantic with rage and shame On one noted oc-
casion Mr. Robert TOOmbs INDUCED In such terri
BILE unjust denunciation OF Seward and his follow
CTS that the undersigned felt themselves forced 10
do something to vindicate themselves and their
constituents threatened by these means of a dc
NAL Of equal representation in the Senate.
We consulted long and anXiously and the result
was q league by which we bound Oursel'es 10 re-
sent any repetition Of this conduct by challenge
TO fight, and then, in the precise words, the com
pact Ito carry the quarrel into a coffin
After the lapse of half generation tho state
ment Of this arrangement OF this measure may
have the appearance of bloodthirstiness, but it
should be remembered that the causes which led to
it. were extremely grievOus. Our constituents
were well nigh deprived OF their nights In Congress
by the insolence of our political opponents Our
very manhood was daily called in question Only
one method of stopping the now lthenl unendlra-
BILE outrage was open. and that method required us
10 submit because of the sentiment against duel
ling at home to an ostracsm if we defended our
selves as CALLING as the endurance OF the insults
we encountered in the pursuit OF our public duties
Nevertheless this arrangement produced cessa
ton of the cause which induced las to make il, and
when it became known that some Northern Sena-
tors were ready to fight for sufficient cause, the
Tone Of their assailants was at once modified
Nem Publications.